Also another option - especially if your husband is handy - is to take out the some or all of the upper cabinets and replace with open shelving.   

Height adjustable, slideout shelves could be used for storage.You want natural light obviously.

(paint, trim, flooring, appliances, countertops, cabinets, closet spaces, shelving)  all these things are non-urgent that you can do at your own pace and can even make excellent projects to do with your partner and get creative.3.)

That's always the case . . . always . . . but the bliss is that IF your PM is working in integrity and if they know their local pricing then it should be a light and trust-laden thing to know that IF they paid that THEN it must be the going rate.IMO

No repairs, painting, hanging shelves, nothing should ever be done by a tenant except hang a picture and only then with your preapproval.

I spent 21 years in the military and was stocking shelves at Walmart while looking for another job, but my lender still qualified me for a purchase despite the significant drop in pay, change in careers, and other factors.

Stuff gets lost at the back of stationary shelves and can be hard to reach.

I would advise to make sure no one can see inside (they may see what they want to steal) be sure that the floor doesn’t get wet (or provide a floor spacer above the slab), natural ventilation, a few shelves and hooks, and spend a little more on the locking mechanism.

It was shelved for a year but still alive.

Partial contractor, partial DIY kitchen remodel to add cabinets, shelves, backsplash, and paint, and then DIY shed replacement and house paint.